Equalizer for dumping-wagons.



. J..T. SNODDY.

EQUALIZER FOR DUMPING WAGON-S.

FFICE.

JAMES T. SNODDY, 0F MARTINSBUEG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T0 AUBURN WAGON I COMPANY, OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

EQUALIZER FOR DUMPING-WAGONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 28, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns T. SNoDDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsburg, in the county of Berkeley and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Equalizer for Dumping-Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to equalizers for use in connection with dumping wagons of that type utilizing two hinged bottom sections.

One of the objects oft-he invention is to provide a simple device whereby the opening of one of the bottom sections in advance of the other is assured, and the proper lapping of the two sections when closed is also effected.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is of compact construction, will not readily get out of order, and which can be applied to various forms of dumping wagons utilizing .hingedly supported bottom sections.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred'form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawings, Figure l is a side eleva- 1 tion of a portion of the box of a dumping wagon, the present improvements being applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the wagon and showing the equalizer in position thereon. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the equalizer.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the hopper-like body with opposed bottom sections 2 and 3 hingedly connected to the sides of the said hopper-like body and designed to swing down wardly, the said sections, when closed, lapping along their adjoining portions as clearly indicated at 4: in Fig. 2. Each of the sections 2 and 3 is provided, adjacent the ends of its free longitudinal edge, with brackets 5 each of which has a roller 6 journaled therein. A bracket 7 is secured to the rear wall of the wagon body above the center of the lower edge thereof and journaled within this bracket is a tapered roller 8 having a spiral groove 9, there being a stud 10 extending downwardly from the base portion of the roller and designed to work between heads 11 formed at the ends of an arcuate stop plate 12 which is secured to the back wall of the body 1. It will be apparent therefore that the roller 8 is capable of turning to a slight extent in either direction, the movement thereof being limited however by the stud 10 coming into contact with one or the other of the heads 11.

A fiexibleelement, preferably in the form of a chain 13, is coiled at its center about the tapered roller 8, the said middle portion of the chain resting within the spiral groove 9 within the roller. The opposed portions of the chain extend downwardly from the roller and under the roller 6 on the respective bottom sections. These opposed portions of the chain then extend longitudinally under the two bottom sections 2 and 3 and thence upwardly in front of the body portion 1 and past one or more guide rollers 14 carried by the wagon body. The ends of the chain are secured to a drum 15 mounted for rotation between the sides of the wagon and in front of the body portion 1 there being any suitable means for rotating the drum and any desired additional means for locking the drum against rotation in one direction so as to prevent the chain from unwinding therefrom.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the chain extends from one of the bottom sections (3) to the large end of the roller 8 and extends from the small end of said roller to the other bottom section 2. When the drum 15 is released the chain will unwind therefrom and permit the closures 2 and 3 to swing downwardly and, as the v large end of the roller 8 is, in efi'ect, a lever of the dump wagon, the same belngprovlded of greater length than the small end of said roller, it will be apparent that the bottom section 3, by reason of its connection with the large end of the roller, will over-balance the bottom section 2 which is connected to the small end of the roller, and will therefore swing downwardly a greater distance than the bottom section 2, this movement of the section 3 relative to the section 2, causing the chain to rotate the roller 8 until the projection 10 comes into cont-act with one of the heads 11.

When it is desired to close the bottom sections, the chain is wound on the drum l5 and thus swings the sections 2 and 3 upwardly, the section 2 moving in advance of the section 3 until it comes into position against the bottom of the body 1. Further movement of the drum 15 will cause the chain to shift longitudinally under the closed section 2 as under the section 3, thus bringing said section 3 to closed position and in lapped relation to the section 2. Obviously this longitudinal movement of the chain will result in the rotation of the roller 8, the projection 10 thus moving away from the head 11 and to its normal position, which is midway between the two heads as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the chain is not secured to the roller 8 but is merely wrapped around it. After the load has been dumped and while the doors are hanging downwardly, the wagon is sometimes turned before the doors are clear of the pile. One of the doors is thus pressed against the pile and unless its chain can pay out or yield the door or some other part of the structure is liable to be injured. By wrapping the chain on the roller Without securing it thereto, the chain can pay out or slip relative to the roller under the foregoing conditions. This is permissible even though the projection 10 and a head 11 should hold the roller against rotation. It is to be understood that the chain will not slip in this manner under ordinary conditions. By wrapping the chain around the roller 8 there is no danger of the chain jumping out of position should the wagon be driven over a rough surface while the doors are hanging loosely.

It is of course to be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a dumping wagon having opposed hinged bottom sections, of winding mechanism, a flexible element secured at its ends to said mechanism and adapted to be wound thereby, opposed portions of said element extending under and loosely engaging the respective bottom sections, a revoluble equalizing device mounted upon the body and surrounded and slidably engaged by the middle portion of said flexible element, and cooperating means upon the equalizing device and body for limiting the movement of said device in either direction.

2. The combination with a dumping wagon having opposed hinged bottom sections, of a spirally grooved equalizing device mounted for rotation on the body of the wagon, a flexible element wrapped about and slidably engaging said equalizer and seated within the groove, opposed portions of said element being extended under the bottom section, means for winding said portion to elevate the bottom section, and cooperating means upon the equalizer and body for limiting the movement of the equalizer in either direction.

3. The combination with a dumping wagon having opposed hinged bottom sections, of a tapered, spirally grooved equalizing roller upon the body of the wagon,

a flexible element wrapped at an interme diate point about the roller and within the groove, said element slidably engaging the roller, opposed end portions of said element being extended under and connected to the bottom section, means secured to the terminals of said element for winding the same to close the bottom sections, and cooperating means upon the roller and the body for controlling the movement of said roller.

4. The combination with a dumping wagon having opposed hinged bottom sections, of a tapered, spirally grooved roller mounted on the body of the wagon, a projection on said roller, spaced stop devices upon the body and at opposite sides of the projection for limiting the movement of the roller in either direction, a flexible element wrapped about and adapted to slip upon the roller and connected to the respective bottom sections, and means for winding the ends of said element.

5. In a dumping wagon, the combination with hinged bottom sections and means for closing said sections, said means including a flexible element, of a spirally grooved tapered equalizer slidably engaged by an intermediate portion of said element, and means for limiting the movement of the equalizer.

6. In a dumping wagon, an equalizer including a'tapered spirally grooved roller, a projection thereon, and spaced stop devices at opposite sides, and in the path of the projection.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. SNODDY.

Witnesses:

MAX ROBINSON, L. B. MATTHEWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

